Most NY health exchange enrollees older than 45, report shows

A total of 54 percent of those who enrolled in private insurance through the New York health exchange are age 45 or older, according to a report Monday from the state Department of Health.

The report offers the first detailed look at the state’s health marketplace, which launched Oct. 1 as part of the federal Affordable Care Act. It focuses on the total number of enrollments through Dec. 24, the deadline for a consumer to enroll in a health plan through the exchange in order to receive coverage Jan. 1.

A total of 230,624 enrolled prior to the deadline, with 61,625 placed on a Medicaid plan and the remaining 168,999 selecting a private insurer. Of those who selected a private plan, 44 percent—or 67,225—were uninsured when they applied and 58 percent came from New York City or Long Island.

The state-level report was released at the same time the federal government released a nationwide look, which showed 2.2 million people had purchased insurance on a state exchange or on the federal health care website. Of those, 1.2 million through Dec. 28 had selected a private plan.